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Fix Pick: McCain Campaign Post-Mortem

The election may still be 12 days away but that hasn't stopped at least one reporter from writing the political obituary of John McCain's presidential campaign.

In a massive new piece for the New York Times Magazine this Sunday, Robert Draper takes the first cut (of many) at divining what went wrong with the McCain campaign and, more importantly, who is to blame.

Draper is VERY good at what he does and has a number of fascinating insidery details about how and why certain critical decisions were made by the McCain campaign. His article is almost certain to serve as the baseline for the myriad behind-the-scenes stories that will be written if McCain comes up short on Nov. 4.

You really should read the entire piece. But, you should also eat vegetables and The Fix himself doesn't do that. So, the best of the best from Draper's opus is below. Enjoy!

• In attempting to adapt to the constantly-changing (and worsening) political environment, McCain has tried on a series of themes -- "a fighter, a conciliator, an experienced leader and a shake 'em up rebel," writes Draper -- which has contributed to the average voter losing his/her sense of who McCain really is. "In constantly alternating among story lines in order to respond to changing events and to gain traction with voters, the 'true character' of a once-crisply-defined political figure has become increasingly murky," writes Draper. This is dead on. The key for any campaign is to be able to sum up what their candidate means/embodies in one word. For Barack Obama that word is "change." Try doing the same for McCain. Tough to think of just one word.

• Draper lays the idea of McCain suspending his campaign during the early stages of the financial crisis at the feet of Steve Schmidt, the man placed in charge of the day to day operations of the campaign in early July. Schmidt, writes Draper, saw the financial crisis as a "'true character' moment that would advance his candidate's narrative" but adds that the gambit failed because "scene by scene, McCain failed to deliver the performance that had been promised." Draper does credit Schmidt for the idea of casting Obama as a celebrity -- an idea and a message that arguably represented McCain's high point in the race to date.

• Although the staff insurrection last summer in McCain's campaign is old news now, Draper rightly puts the blame for the near-catastrophic incident where it belongs: on the candidate's management style (or lack thereof). "McCain, it's fair to say, was not a big believer in organization," Draper writes. "The important decisions were all made by him, with various confidants of ambiguous portfolio orbiting around him and often colliding with one another." Draper writes of the tensions between McCain's own "Iron Triangle" of John Weaver, Mark Salter and Rick Davis and how those tensions eventually created a power void in the campaign into which Schmidt stepped. Absolutely fascinating stuff.

• The germ of the Sarah Palin pick began with an interview in 2007 on "The Charlie Rose Show" where the Alaska governor faced off with Arizona Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano. The interview caught the eye of campaign manager Rick Davis; "what he liked was how she stuck to her pet issues -- energy independence and ethics reform -- and thereby refused to let Rose manage the interview," writes Draper of Davis' reaction to Palin's performance. Schmidt was on board with the pick early on; Salter was convinced later after meeting with Palin personally.

• Politicians hate to be publicly psychoanalyzed (who wouldn't?) but Draper deftly paints the mind of McCain. "The flipside of John McCain's metanarrative of personal valor has always been palpable self righteousness," he writes, adding that McCain's sense of code and honor has been violated by his perception of the unfairness of the media coverage and by the fact that he does not believe that Obama is ready to be president. That contempt for both the media and his opponent has come out on the campaign trail -- most notably during the final presidential debate when McCain's eye-rolling and exasperation at Obama's answers were a major part of the post-debate analysis. "By extension then, if the McCain campaign's conduct would appear to be at odds with the man's 'true character', it is only because the combination of a dishonorable opponent and a biased media has forced his hand," Draper writes. "Or so goes the rationale for what by this month was an increasingly ugly campaign."

Where is Bush and Cheney McCain may as well stop hiding them.Oh he has Sarah to replace them now.Cheney picked her when he went to a(moose hunt)energy meeting and they are attempting to keep a leg up in the White House is everybody thats for McCain Palin Blind AND drunk.Can't you see the bushwackers are calling the shots but staying home.DON'T BE FOOLED AGAIN VOTE .OBAMA&BIDEN.

John McCain made a huge blunder when he picked Sarah as his running mate. Had he chosen Joe Lieberman or someone else of equal stature, he would now be double digits ahead of Obama in the polls. Sarah Palin did energize the lowest common denominator of the conservative base, but in so doing, she has alienated most of undecided voters who would have made the difference on November 4. Joe Lieberman may be short on charisma, but by dint of his knowledge and unblemished record, he would eventually have won over the conservative base and most undecided voters as well.

Also, the fact that McCain allowed his staffers to foist Palin on him sight unseen (clearly, she was not on his short list) betrays a lack of leadership. He might yet win the election, but if he loses, it will be largely because of Sarah Palin.

I am an AA female with 2 doctoral degrees from Ivy League Universities. I am surprised by the dust up about Sarah Palin's qualifications. She is obviously new to the national scene and will take some time to catch up. However she is not running for President, she is running for VP. She has shown that she can run a state while raising a family, and has achieved an 80% favorability rating. She has a record of accomplishment we can point to.

However, Obama with all his advantages, has not achieved anything of note so far. In fact his policies are naive, impractical and ill thought out. His running mate, who knows him better than you or I, says he is inexperienced and unqualified. I believe Joe Biden.

I trust Sarah Palin's record. Obama has none and with a Democratic Congress, proposes policies dangerous for the future of this country.

STUDENT: Why is it that someone like my father who goes to school for 13 years gets penalized in a huge tax bracket because he's a doctor. Why is that - why does he have to pay higher taxes than everybody else? Just because he makes more money. How is that fair?

MCCAIN: I think you're questioning, questioning the fundamentals of a progressive tax system where people who make more money pay more in taxes than a flat across the board percentage. I think it's to some degree because we feel obviously that wealthy people can afford more. We have over the years beginning with John F. Kennedy reduced some of those marginal tax rates to make them less onerous. I believe that when you really look at the tax code the very wealthy because they can afford tax lawyers and all kinds of loopholes really don't pay as much as you think they do, when you just look at the percentages. And I think middle income Americans, working Americans, who when you count in payroll taxes, sales taxes, mortgage -- all of the, all of the taxes that working Americans pay -- I think you would also think that they also deserve very significant relief.

At that point host Chris Matthews asked for members of the audience to applaud if they support wealthier people paying a higher percentage of their incomes; there was loud applause.

STUDENT: I still don't see how that's fair...aren't we getting closer and closer to Socialism and stuff...?

MCCAIN: Look, here's what I really believe: That when you are, when you reach a certain level of comfort, there's nothing wrong with paying somewhat more. But at the same time it shouldn't be totally out of proportion.

McCain added that the "first people who deserve a tax cut are working Americans...and they're the ones I would support tax cuts for first."

NOW SPREADING THE WEALTH IS NO GOOD?
WHO IS THE REAL JOHN MCCAIN? WHAT DOES HE REALLY BELIEVE? HOW CAN YOU TRUST HIM?

The last time that there was a filibuster-proof congress and a president of the same party was in Carter's first (and only) term. Does anyone but me remember why he and a bunch of his congressional cronies were voted out after just one term? Think things have been bad lately. Look in the rear view mirror. The economy went to hell in a handbasket, the Iranians had 40+ hostages (embassy staff) and he was unable to gain their release. Gas was sky high as well as inflation which made it even worse. Unemployment was in double digits and we had to drive 55 mph on the interstates. In NY or NJ or NH that didn't make as much difference as it did in AZ, NM, WY, MT where it was often 60-100 miles between gas stations.
Just one point...be careful what you wish for, you might just get it. President Reagan won by a landslide by just promising to get the government off of our backs.

CC, the economy and Americans' ignorance are truly what have greatly dampened enthusiasm for Sen. McCain . Remember, Sen. McCain was up in all polls before this economic problem.

* BTW, THE DEMOCRATS HAVE CREATED THIS ECONOMIC PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY TRIED TO REPLACE OUR CAPITALISM/FREE MARKET SYSTEM WITH WELFARISM/CAPITALISM. IF SEN. OBAMA GETS ELECTED, HE MOST LIKELY WILL SEND US INTO A DEPRESSION. Now, Democrats are laughing at Americans and Republicans all the way to the bank because voters have been deceived into thinking the Republicans are the ones who are bad for the economy. Very Sad!!

STUDENT: Why is it that someone like my father who goes to school for 13 years gets penalized in a huge tax bracket because he's a doctor. Why is that - why does he have to pay higher taxes than everybody else? Just because he makes more money. How is that fair?

MCCAIN: I think you're questioning, questioning the fundamentals of a progressive tax system where people who make more money pay more in taxes than a flat across the board percentage. I think it's to some degree because we feel obviously that wealthy people can afford more. We have over the years beginning with John F. Kennedy reduced some of those marginal tax rates to make them less onerous. I believe that when you really look at the tax code the very wealthy because they can afford tax lawyers and all kinds of loopholes really don't pay as much as you think they do, when you just kook at the percentages. And I think middle income Americans, working Americans, who when you count in payroll taxes, sales taxes, mortgage -- all of the, all of the taxes that working Americans pay -- I think you would also think that they also deserve very significant relief.

At that point host Chris Matthews asked for members of the audience to applaud if they support wealthier people paying a higher percentage of their incomes; there was loud applause.

STUDENT: I still don't see how that's fair...aren't we getting closer and closer to Socialism and stuff...?

MCCAIN: Look, here's what I really believe: That when you are, when you reach a certain level of comfort, there's nothing wrong with paying somewhat more. But at the same time it shouldn't be totally out of proportion.

McCain added that the "first people who deserve a tax cut are working Americans...and they're the ones I would support tax cuts for first."

Democrats are now looking at a plan to go after Americans' 401k accounts. These accounts serve as the retirement nest-egg for millions of Americans. They are used because money can be saved in these accounts tax-free. Oh, that is unless that new Democrat plan of "spread the wealth" becomes law. Then, we could all see our 401k tax breaks go out the window...

According to a report in U.S. News , Democrats are considering a plan that essentially end 401k plans in favor of a government-run saving plan. As the other notes:

I hate to use the "S" word, but the American government would never do something as, well, socialist as seize private pension funds, right? This is exactly what cash-strapped Argentina just did in the name of protecting workers' retirement accounts. Now, even Uncle Sam isn't that stupid, but some Democrats might try something almost as loopy: kill 401(k) plans.

House Democrats, looking for a way to have government take over more aspects of our lives, recently heard testimony on a plan promoted by Teresa Ghilarducci, a professor at the New School of Social Research in New York, "on her idea to eliminate the preferential tax treatment of the popular retirement plans."

In place of 401(k) plans, she would have workers transfer their dough into government-created "guaranteed retirement accounts" for every worker. The government would deposit $600 (inflation indexed) every year into the GRAs. Each worker would also have to save 5 percent of pay into the accounts, to which the government would pay a measly 3 percent return.

The topic is also covered in an article in Workforce Management . The Democrats' plan would target "the $80 billion in annual tax breaks that 401(k) investors receive." In essence, the 401k would lose the benefits that make it popular including the "employer-matching" feature upon which so many average Americans rely.

“From where I sit that’s just crazy,” said John Belluardo, president of Stewardship Financial Services Inc. in Tarrytown, New York. “A lot of people contribute to their 401(k)s because of the match of the employer,” he said. Belluardo’s firm does not manage assets directly.

Higher-income employers provide matching funds to employee plans so that they can qualify for tax benefits for their own defined-contribution plans, he said.

“If the tax deferral goes away, the employers have no reason to do the matches, which primarily help people in the lower income brackets,” Belluardo said.

The article quotes Christopher Van Slyke, a partner in the La Jolla, California, advisory firm Trovena. Van Slyke makes a key observation which I will repeat here: "This is a battle between liberalism and conservatism. People are afraid because their accounts are seeing some volatility, so Democrats will seize on the opportunity to attack a program where investors control their own destiny."

We must all pardon 37thandOStreet for his intemperate outbursts. When he posts something like: "...Obama should be jailed for a long time and he should be made an example of what black children should not grow up to be," he reveals himself and his attitudes.

Those attitudes, if not 37th himself, are relics of another day. They have value as museum pieces, to provide the very sort of negative example he tried to attribute to Senator Obama, though one from which all children might profit: "This is what racism sounds like, children. See how foolish and ugly it is?"

The fact is Obama's tax plan is just a return to the PROVEN system
Bill Clinton used during the prosperous years of his term in office.
Bill Clinton left office with huge budget surpluses.

McCain's tax plan is just an extension of the PROVEN failure of the Bush tax system of rewarding the wealthy and corporations at the expense of the middle class. The middle class is now redistributing their wealth to bail out banks.

People like to argue theory and statistics but it's as simple as this: Are you better off now then you were eight years ago?

I always consider it a sign of a weak character to just go along with others because that is "what everone else is doing"
-leapin
...........................................
LEAPIN:
Your take on this is so wrong. The world is sending us a resounding message: If you want to regain your stance as a respected superpower, things need to change, and we support Obama for that change. It's not about following a trend...you are completely minimizing the importance of this statement. This is about our future, not just some fad. Take it seriously. In this globalized world, we are NOT going to get out of this disgusting mess without the support of our allies. It's pretty clear as well that the rest of the world has a much more objective and realistic understanding of the state of our country than most Americans do. They have been saying all along that Bush was an awful president. It took a huge financial crisis that hit us hard for Bush's fallacies to finally sink in for a majority of Americans....wake up America....because we need change NOW.

TO diaco7529:
Thank you for summing up the entirety of Republican stupidity. We are living in the twenty-first century, not 1980. We have a new suite of problems, in a new political and economic global environment, and tax cuts will no longer continue to solve our problems. Barack has the new solutions we need to turn our country back around. McCain is living in the past, and in his desperation has shown his true colors. What he accomplished 20 years ago has no bearing now...we need someone who is intelligent, capable, competent, and full of fresh new ideas, not someone who voted with Bush 90% of the time, and who wishes to continue Bush economic policies, foreign relations, and the removal of our civil liberties.
NO THANKS
OBAMA 08!

McCain's newest strategy is to denounce Bush and list all of the problems he has with Bush's decisions over the past eight years. Funny how he is doing this NOW, even though it is a total lie. McCain voted with Bush NINETY PERCENT OF THE TIME....aka he agreed with Bush's judgment nine times out of ten. McCain is the opposite of what we need, and he--not Barack--has proved that. Thank God a majority of the American public seems to agree with me.

Diaco...you are just spreading paranoia. Hamas said they preferred Obama until he came out with his support for Israel.
Funding from Iran...this is the same kind of garbage like saying he is still a Muslim!
87% of the rest of the world want Obama and not MaCain as we don't want or need old technologies and fixes we need new ideas!http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com/results

When a business has a critical problem they make an investigation as to its root cause and devise a solution to prevent the critical problem form happening again. How can you tell the dems are the root cause of the Freddie-Fannie mess? They currently control congress and there is NO investigation into the root cause of the problem.

I hope and pray the majority of people will wake up about obama befoe its too late for our country. obama has lied about his voting record on everthing from abortion to guns to taxes. he radical liberal socialist idea of goverment requires huge spending which requires alot more from us in taxes. higher taxes will sink the american business, family and the whole economy. Mccain will keep taxes the same and continue to allow for the oppurtunity for all americans to better their lives. please don't just want change for change sake, that is never good. McCain is true reformer and has proven himself in goverment and can handle the crisis that are sure to arise. McCain is a true commander and chief. obama couldn't even answer about when life begins with anything better then that was above his pay grade. well if something so simple is above his paygrade then the job of president is above it also. then there is the question of his assocations with bad people like wright, ayers and others. birds of feather flock together. he obviously shares the same anti american feelings as these men. ahmed yousef of the terrorist organization hamas said they like obama and want hin as president and its reported that obama has had funding from iran and other questionable people and places. this should put the fear in any american. this is a man we cannot trust

JOHN MCCAIN, TRAITOR TO HIS COUNTRY, COLLABORATOR WITH THE ENEMY, MILITARY DISGRACE.
Ted Sampley, a Vietnam Veteran and former Green Beret, issued a CHALLENGE to John McCain "If you can show us that the information presented in our mailer is untruthful . . . we will Stand Down" This CHALLENGE was issued during an interview with INSIDE EDITION on January 17, 2008. John, family members of Vietnam POW/MIA(s) have been waiting for more then 14 years for you to have the courage to face them eye to eye in front of the American Public - Here is your opportunity for some "STRAIGHT TALK." Stop hiding behind your fabricated "War Hero" persona. You know we can prove your collaborations with declassified government documents . . . It is time for the American people to get to know the REAL John McCain - the John McCain that the POW/MIA families witnessed during the 1991-93 US Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs . Bring It On John! HERE IS OUR NUMBER 252-527-0442
*********** ************* ************** *********** ***********
Activists accused McCain of stonewalling the release of POW records because they contained evidence he had collaborated with the North Vietnamese.

popasmoke- IF you're correct, We all want to be around- to cry for ourselves but especially to laugh hysterically at You for trusting this great nation to David Axelrod and Penny Pritker's popularly packaged Chicago radical liberal. Hey, you know Biden, he might have actually been telling the truth for once....it's gonna really be scary.

Does the mean we there won't be the mass republican suicide I have been looking forward to?
The last thing we needed was a Manchurian candidate with a low IQ in the name of John Mccain and a psycho like Sarah Palin.
I will take my chances with the young guy, he will be just fine.

I hope and pray the majority of people will wake up about obama befoe its too late for our country. obama has lied about his voting record on everthing from abortion to guns to taxes. he radical liberal socialist idea of goverment requires huge spending which requires alot more from us in taxes. higher taxes will sink the american business, family and the whole economy. Mccain will keep taxes the same and continue to allow for the oppurtunity for all americans to better their lives. please don't just want change for change sake, that is never good. McCain is true reformer and has proven himself in goverment and can handle the crisis that are sure to arise. McCain is a true commander and chief. obama couldn't even answer about when life begins with anything better then that was above his pay grade. well if something so simple is above his paygrade then the job of president is above it also. then there is the question of his assocations with bad people like wright, ayers and others. birds of feather flock together. he obviously shares the same anti american feelings as these men. ahmed yousef of the terrorist organization hamas said they like obama and want hin as president and its reported that obama has had funding from iran and other questionable people and places. this should put the fear in any american. this is a man we cannot trust

popasmoke- IF you're correct, We all want to be around- to cry for ourselves but especially to laugh hysterically at You for trusting this great nation to David Axelrod and Penny Pritker's popularly packaged Chicago radical liberal. Hey, you know Biden, he might have actually been telling the truth for once....it's gonna really be scary.

Crude oil prices rise and gasoline prices quickly follow suit. But when the price of crude drops, gas prices seldom seem to fall in any like proportion. As with gas and oil, so with liberal Big Media and the presidential polls.

Democrat Barack Obama, long measuring for White House drapes, was elevated to something exceeding messiah status among the major newspapers and TV networks when polls suggested his lead over Republican John McCain had surged into the political ionosphere.

That double-digit lead was all the confirmation required that the election essentially was over. But a funny thing happened along the route to King Obama's coronation: More recent polls have suggested the race has tightened; some even point to a statistical dead heat.

But those numbers certainly haven't received the same coverage as ones that suggested a President Obama was a foregone conclusion. Even Sen. Obama now is worrying about the risk of a "carried away" media being the precursor to his being "spanked" on Nov. 4.

Voters supposedly elect presidents. But this election cycle, it seems Big Media and its liberal enablers are hellbent on taking over that function. Just as that passenger-side mirror cautions how objects are closer than they appear, Sen. McCain is closer to Obama than Big Media are reflecting.

And such a distortion isn't very becoming of one of the great pillars of such a grand republic.

On behalf of the elderly i seriously resent what is here said about McCain's age. IL am 5 years older and find him a dumb disgrace to
"my people"--those over 70...ps: he wants to privatize social security? so it can be bailed out like AIG, the auto industry and the banks...no way, Raging Bull.

Deceiving and disenfranchising voters is the real fraud. With dwindling hopes of holding on to power, it's what the Right's resorting to ... and we are doing everything we can to fight back.

People For the American Way is drawing national attention to the issue with a full-page ad running in the New York Times today (Pg. A7) challenging the Right's attacks on ACORN, pointing out that "widespread voter fraud" is a myth -- and that the real threat to voting this year is voter suppression.

Already, the Right has made clear its intention to challenge hundreds of thousands of votes in swing states. Dishonest flyers have spread misinformation about Election Day. Local Republican parties are openly announcing their willingness to challenge voting eligibility based on home foreclosure lists. And far right activists have even lined up at some early voting locations to harass and intimidate voters.

We have 13 days left to put to bed the Right's distractions and to expose and counter their very real program of voter suppression.

Help us do it with a critical donation today!

People For is fighting back by spreading real information in the communities that need it most. We're helping voters to navigate Voter ID obstacles designed to keep them from the polls. And we're pushing back against the misconception (reinforced by the media narrative) that voting is a privilege to be enjoyed by only certain types of Americans.

Every vote counted. Every voice heard. That's the American Way.

Please contribute to our work to counter the voter suppression that could plague this election and make sure voters are able to cast a ballot!

I can hardly wait until November 5th (or 6th or 7th) when the Republicans start to confront the fact that no one out there is capable of uniting them with the state of play right now. They need someone with the usual anti-tax slobber all over Big Business's shoes agenda who still has believable Gays-are-scum and Abortion-is-murder bona fides who HASN'T been totally discredited by being part of the Bush2 administration. I don't think any such person exists.

37thandOSt you really have to stop listening to those rightwingers (including McCain) as it's hazardous to your brain.

I guess you missed the part about the arrest of Mark Jocoby, who was paid between $7 and $12 for REPUBLICAN registrations. So he'd be paid, he conned people into signing a bogus petition and then he changed their registration to Republican.

Or there's the guy named Sproul who threw away Democratic registrations.

But what the Republican modus operandi really is suppressing the vote. Like disenfranchising those voters who lost their house to foreclosure and had other things on their mind besides changing their address on their voter registration.

If there is voter fraud this year, those people who created ACORN and failed to put in place proper safeguards should be jailed immediately. If the Obama campaign has been involved in these efforts including arranging for funding for ACORN Obama and David Axelroad should be held personally responsible, arrested and jailed indefinitely.

The Obama campaign has already gone through vast efforts to prevent votes in Michigan and Florida which is almost communist tactics.

Watch - Acorn is under investigation - if they are submitting wholesale false voter registrations there could be an effort to have absentee ballots cast under those registrations - if Obama is involved they must jail him for years !!!

Seriously, if there is an attempt to steal this election something must be done.

For some reason the Obama campaign seems to believe that they are entitled to steal this election because of what they think Bush did in Florida in 2000 - that is not right - and if the country allows that to happen we will have a free-for-all in future elections.

Obama's campaign has already interfered improperly in the elections in Michigan and Florida.

Obama's campaign has already spent millions of dollars to pay bloggers to harrass and intimate people on the internet whose views Obama does not agree with.

Obama and his wife have a hostility toward the US Constitution rooted in slavery and the Jim Crow era - so they do not care about the US Constitution they way you would think they should.

If there is voter fraud which Obama has been a part of Obama should be jailed for a long time and he should be made an example of what black children should not grow up to be.

If there is voter fraud this year, those people who created ACORN and failed to put in place proper safeguards should be jailed immediately. If the Obama campaign has been involved in these efforts including arranging for funding for ACORN Obama and David Axelroad should be held personally responsible, arrested and jailed indefinitely.

The Obama campaign has already gone through vast efforts to prevent votes in Michigan and Florida which is almost communist tactics.

Watch - Acorn is under investigation - if they are submitting wholesale false voter registrations there could be an effort to have absentee ballots cast under those registrations - if Obama is involved they must jail him for years !!!

Seriously, if there is an attempt to steal this election something must be done.

For some reason the Obama campaign seems to believe that they are entitled to steal this election because of what they think Bush did in Florida in 2000 - that is not right - and if the country allows that to happen we will have a free-for-all in future elections.

Obama's campaign has already interfered improperly in the elections in Michigan and Florida.

Obama's campaign has already spent millions of dollars to pay bloggers to harrass and intimate people on the internet whose views Obama does not agree with.

Obama and his wife have a hostility toward the US Constitution rooted in slavery and the Jim Crow era - so they do not care about the US Constitution they way you would think they should.

If there is voter fraud which Obama has been a part of Obama should be jailed for a long time and he should be made an example of what black children should not grow up to be.

If there is voter fraud this year, those people who created ACORN and failed to put in place proper safeguards should be jailed immediately. If the Obama campaign has been involved in these efforts including arranging for funding for ACORN Obama and David Axelroad should be held personally responsible, arrested and jailed indefinitely.

The Obama campaign has already gone through vast efforts to prevent votes in Michigan and Florida which is almost communist tactics.

Watch - Acorn is under investigation - if they are submitting wholesale false voter registrations there could be an effort to have absentee ballots cast under those registrations - if Obama is involved they must jail him for years !!!

Hey zjr78xva: So you say Obama, "a Marxisant [I'm pretty sure that word does not exist] radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshiped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, revolutionary Marxists, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States."

At first, I was so very scared by what you wrote, I nearly shot my Wheaties through my nose. I couldn't believe the guy from the debates who is clearly one of the most intelligent leaders we've heard in years had met all these terrible people. It was like Halloween arrived early. But then I realized I partially agree with you: Obama is on the verge of becoming the President.

I take issue that McCain is an angry old guy. True I would prefer a youngr McCain but we are better off with this one than the alternative candidate and I am fed up with hearing how angry he is. He is baffled as I am at the words that come out of Obama's mouth without question. The eye rolling is that disbelief that people have bought into Obama as the "chosen" one. I do think more voters are begining to take this election seriously. They are getting a little skeptical of this great agent of change and they are begining to see that Barbie is smart enough and experienced enough after all these many roles she has played in little girls dreams, to actually become vice president.

McCain's campaign is a lot like the old "Roadrunner" cartoon. Every trick Wile E. Coyote tries backfires and ends in a plunge down a canyon. And Roadrunner just continues on his way.

Based on how he's managed his campaign, McCain certainly hasn't demonstrated that he has the right stuff to lead the country. In contrast, Obama has been level headed and consistent in his message. Beep-Beep!

"Country First": a fake.
"Maverick": a fake.
His "International Understanding": a fake.
"Reform": a fake.
His "honor": a fake.
His charges against Obama: Fakes.
His campaign managers: Karlrovian fakes.
Sarah Palin: a fake.
His "suspending the campaign "to save the country": a fake
"Joe The Plumber": a fake.
Etc., etc., etc.

NONE OF THE ABOVE is of any REAL interest to our nation.

Only his admission of being an ignorant on Economics was true, confirmed by his choice of economic advisor, finance manager Fiorina, and his wanting to put the e-Bay CEO lady in charge of the People's Treassury.

[quote] You have to pinch yourself – a Marxisant radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshiped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, revolutionary Marxists, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And apparently it’s considered impolite to say so. [unquote]

McCain's problem is that the only Republican who would have stood a chance in 2008 (McCain 2000) would never ever have been nominated by the Republican Party. Since Bush beat him, he's been remaking himself in Bush's image. It won him the primary (barely) but the country doesn't want another Bush.

As one reads the ad nauseum comments being posted by the McCain true believers, several thoughts come to mind. McCain has run another of the nauseating GOP neo-con campaigns and we find that the majority of the American electorate is buying none of it. There will be time for all the postmortems after the election with the appropriate finger pointing, but the obvious is that McCain ran a terrible campaign with no message, an ill-qualified, inarticulate VP selection and forgot the great message of James Carville in 1992, "...it's about the economy, stupid". Obama rarely, if ever, lost sight of the major issues affecting every American and articulates a coherent, intellectual message, surrounded by a talented team of people who knew how to run a winning campaign that will result in a unique election trifecta for the Democrats and the American people- the U S Presidency, major gains and control of the U S Senate and the U S House. McCain never got it, allowed the Karl Rove disciples to blow any chance to take the high ground and therefore his "message" was divisive, low brow, hate filled, irrational and sophomoric. Run in the gutter, while pandering to the worst trash so beneath his "legacy". Never the "Great Reformer" or "Change Candidate", McCain was a frequently old and confused candidate with a disjointed message. Time to get on with running this great country toward economic recovery, job creation, balancing the budget, addressing health care, a strong military and a coherent foreign policy with all the talented, educated and bipartisan groups of people that Obama has and will put together. I and many others choose to select intellect and intelligence over the "Joe the Plumber" BS and the dumbing down of America or whatever the GOP catch phrase of the day is. Pathetic and embarrassing to compare the talents of Obama/Biden v. McCain and what's her name. Let's call it 343 electoral votes for Obama, the rest for what's her name's running mate. Could we dare say landslide?....

Isn't it amazing that Washington Post writers who do little short current events pieces suddenly go ape over an in depth article about McCain's obvious coming defeat... which has been obvious for some time now... and still not be charged with cribbing or plagiarism? Let's at least hope that the Washington Post has to pay the a huge fee for this advance peek at the Times Magazine article. Otherwise, we'll all have to conclude that all these so-called reporters are just ladies of the evening or the men who control them. Shame on the Post for publishing this rather than having the integrity and far more capable writers than Cilizza to do it themselves.

If it is time to do a post-mortem on the McCain campaign then I fear it is time to do the same on free and democratic elections in this country. Between the grossly slanted media coverage, the unbelievable political contributions to the Obama campaign, the $800,000+ payments to ACORN to get out the vote and the frequent suggestions and accusations of racism throughout this election and the primaries, the only rational conclusion is foul play.

Quite frankly, this shapes up to be pure driven evil from the saintly and tenderhearted media of our land. What ever 1st admendment rights they have to be the Democrat's lap dog they need to know the story about the boy who cried wolf. The public already is destroying your treasured papers like the NY and LA Times because they are not to be trusted. When you telivise your awards each year I think I'll sue if I hear the word "fair" at any point in time. The media is not fair.

[quote] You have to pinch yourself – a Marxisant radical who all his life has been mentored by, sat at the feet of, worshipped with, befriended, endorsed the philosophy of, funded and been in turn funded, politically promoted and supported by a nexus comprising black power anti-white racists, Jew-haters, revolutionary Marxists, unrepentant former terrorists and Chicago mobsters, is on the verge of becoming President of the United States. And apparently it’s considered impolite to say so. [unquote]

OMG! Even the paid disinfo trolls have gone all bitter and sullen and morose!

You see, in America, constitutional democracy does rule. The vox pop won't even give you the couple of weeks you need to accomplish your dirty tricks and attempt to cover your tracks.

The good people on the inside, the true patriots who honor the Constitution, know the deal. They're not going to let your "End of Days '08" schemes decide this election.

Better clean up your house right this minute, you who wield the DEW (unititiates, look it up) and the bureaucratic programs of personal destruction and the remote computing software hacks... it's not going work. Not this time, not this year.

And if you're still tempted to go all extreme, just remember... they're on to you and they're not going to let you get away with it.

Palin speaks of the need to help those with disabilities. The questions the media should be asking are : How many people with disabilities has she hired in the Governor's office in Alaska and has her administration set employment targets in her Government for those with disabilites? Or is her support all lip service?

CNN, CBS, NY TIMES polls...pure manipulation...
Here is the situation...
How much money they will make if McCain wins?
Not much! Just another old president…
But...if Obama wins!!! Books, videos, movies, etc...Only God knows the amount of money the people in the media industry and Hollywood are gone make with the history!
The first black president in the history of this country!!!
The headlines sounds nice, the problem is that Mr. Obama’s political career is full of scandals, corruption, and in the reality we do not really know him very well…
We are just desperate people here looking for a boat of salvation from the storm in which our country is going thru now…pay attention people…be aware…You are all being manipulated by these guys playing God! Power…That is all what matter to then… And the Nation and its people…who cares? God will provide right?
I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I?

The rise of Barack Obama suggests that this contempt is no longer limited to the ivory towers of academe, Manhattan or San Francisco cocktail parties, the mainstream media, the aging hippies, the radicals, the misfits and the neer-do-wells. It suggests that we may have reached a watershed moment in American history: those who disdain this country may finally outnumber those who love it. Those who complain may outnumber those who achieve. Those who take may outnumber those who give.
Perhaps Barack Obama is truly a man ahead of his time. He has seemingly tapped into a wellspring of discontent as powerful as it is misguided. “Robbing Peter to pay Paul” sounds attractive but only as as long as one has a steady supply of Peters ready,willing, and able to be bludgeoned by suffocating government. How long such people will be willing to put up with such an arrangement is anyone’s guess. It is far easier to ride on the wagon than pull it especially when those riding have the gall to suggest the pullers aren’t doing their “fair share.”
What happens when everyone wants a free ride, aka when the “Pauls” outnumber the “Peters?”
“Change you can believe in,” that’s what.

Hopefully, some of us will be able to make a stand against fear, and history says that some will. There are those who have come along to challenge our perception of reality, and more than likely some still are today, be them governmental, or television, music, or movie related.

Those who have power and use it to supplement their own lives tread heavily on the rights and freedoms of their subordinates. Through the manipulation of ones perceived reality, they are able to make people believe virtually anything that they want them to believe. Sometimes this is done out of necessity, other times it is done to control people. One of the easiest ways to restore order is to remove freedoms from the masses especially in the wake of a disaster of epic proportions.

All that being said, it is clear to me that reality is only that which it is made, either by the person themselves or by their leader. For better or worse, this is a commonality in society, because man desires to remain in a state of complacency and will do surprisingly much to get there. Disaster brings out the worst in our leaders, especially when their intentions are not for the overall good but just for their own desire for complacency.

Let irrational debate grow to the point of paralyzing gridlock, to create an appearance of weakness that emboldens terrorists to blow up an entire city. Then point the finger of blame at the innocent---a father figure---for being responsible.

University-programmed journalists---elitist intellectuals and rebels against traditional fatherly discipline---with all their enabling feminine sensitivities, will then hail terrorists as heroes fighting for their rights against bullies.

Because propaganda alters our perception of reality, good becomes evil and evil becomes good, as in Nazi Germany. The biblical “Give us Barabbas” mentality is here again. It happened to Spain( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish-American_War) , and now witnesses the horror in Russia. Much worse is in store for America.

Knowing that the corrupted are their slaves, the programmers have created two cultures in conflict, one of them opposed to the Founding Fathers’ intent. If they cannot get their way “democratically,” they will incite a civil war. Now do you see why the God-centered family is the target for destruction?

This toxic culture is no accident: it is the result of a sophisticated psycho-political battle for our minds and hearts. Awaken now---turn from your manipulators’ cunning and forgive them. Throw away your drugs and booze; come home to family through the truth that makes and keeps us free.

I used to respect McCain. In 2000, even though I am a lifelong Democrat, I planned to vote for him if he was the the Republican candidate. He made a huge mistake in the savings and loan debacle, took responsibility for it, and went on to fight against pork in

And then came 2008, when he sold his soul to become one of THEM. I am so sad to see a great public servant lose his way for his ambition.

No objective analyst has demonstrated how, given current polling, Mac gets to 270. In fact if O takes VA early (he's up close to 10 now), it will mean the race might be called by 9:00pm. Virginians didn't like being called commies by Mac's brother.

What's incredible is O is ahead (based on polling, early voting, and on-ground info)in states which are NOT battleground states but dark red states (NV, NC, GA). The O/Axelrod/Dean 50-state strategy (the opposite of the HRC/Florida/Ohio strategy) -- laughed at originally -- has borne fruit.
________

This may end up closer than it looks right now, but there's little chance for McCain to come away with an electoral college victory.

At this time in 2004, Kerry was on defense. He had narrow leads in OR, PA, NJ, and NH. He was ahead (but not on solid ground) in OH, MI. And, he was slightly behind in MN, WI, and IA. He only held a lead of 10% or more in states totalling 88 electoral votes.

Bush had a narrow lead in VA and WV. He was ahead in NC, MO, and NV, and was solidly planted in IN. He held 10% or better leads in 147 electoral votes.

Florida was a statistical tie.

Fast forward to today:

Obama is a lock in MI, MN, IA, WI, NJ, OR, and appears to be solid in PA and NM. McCain has reportedly pulled out of CO, so that is likely to solidify behind Obama. He's ahead in NH and VA, and holds narrow advantages in NC, MO, and OH. Leads of 10% or better in states with 260 electoral votes.

McCain is ahead in WV. GA has slipped lower. He's barely ahead in IN and MT. He has solid leads for 134 electoral votes.

There's a statistical tie in FL and ND, though I suspect that ND is not really in play. We'll leave that one out.

McCain is contesting PA, though polling data suggests that he's down by double digits. Unless we see some movement in the polls between now and early next week, it's not a battleground state.

With NM and CO falling out of contention, that leaves only MT, MO, IN, OH, NC, FL, VA, NV, and NH as battleground states.

All of the nine states mentioned above, only one (NH) is a state that Kerry won in 2004. The eight that Bush won in 2004 he had an average margin of victory of 9.8%.

Assuming where the battlegrounds are and the status of the rest of the map, McCain has to win every single state on the table to have a chance to win the election. Theoretically, he would also have to flip one more electoral vote his way as well, otherwise it would be a 269-269 tie.

This may end up closer than it looks right now, but there's little chance for McCain to come away with an electoral college victory.

"Scott McClellan, President Bush's former press secretary, says he is backing Barack Obama for president."

"Amazing. I've never seen this kind of denouncing one's own party and President and candidate by the most intimate members of the current administration and supporting the candidate of the opposite party in my lifetime or in history."

--------------------------

A discerning political addict might have sensed a sea change when so very many sitting Republican congressmen and senators declined to run for re-election.

John McCain was a decent guy and would have made a good president eight years ago. However time has passed him by and his latest effort has turned him into an angry old man. He can't understand that people prefer the "inexperienced" Obama to him and this is what makes him so angry. He also can't figure out why people would oppose Sara Palin, a position that most of us figure out.

Maybe Mac/Palin made a mistake staking their campaign on holding twice-a-week anti-O hate rallies before groups of 20 or so hootin' and hollerin' liquored-up (allegedly) Yahoos screaming racial slurs and other offensive junk -- events that usually... well, actually ALWAYS ended with Mac's "friends" and "fellow prisoners" chasing down the black guy who set up the stage.

Call me kooky but I don't think that approach attracts undecideds and independents.

Also refusing to look at or shake hands with your opponent at nationally televised debates, calling him "that one," and making strange faces at him with your tongue hanging out (which about 500 cellphone cameras documented for all time) probably does not help either.

Finally, it is not a good idea to select someone as your VP who gets stumped when a TV entertainer asks her the brain-busting question: What newspapers do you read? (Did Mrs. P ever get back to Katie?)

Posted by: Blarg -- "The IBD/TIPP poll has McCain leading 74%-22% among the 18-24 demographic. Not the kind of poll you should cite."

Great catch, Blarg! All of the good numbers guys like Nate Silver have exposed this IBD junk as almost intentionally flawed. It was designed to produce the result it got. No 18 year old is telling a pollster he's voting for Mac unless he's in an Idaho separatist compound.

Same with the outlier AP poll which ten or so numbers guys have chewed up and spit out. Both polls (IBB and AP) are agenda-driven polls totally out of whack with fifteen legit polls showing leads of 7-14. The real poll is the early VOTING which could not be better for O; they say places like NV, GA, and NC that O wasn't supposed to win are through the roof for O.

And what's with Drudge pushing a ridiculous Tawanna Brawley-type story that is not believable on any level (why would someone scratch a BACKWARD "B" on someone's face -- but IF the "victim" did it to herself while looking in the mirror the B would turn out backwards...). Of course: No witness, reported the NEXT day, no medical treatment sought, just out of the view of the ATM video camera, etc., etc. Yeah, right. Nice try, Sludge.

Finally, this race is breaking wide open for O. This excerpt from CBS.com:

"(CBS) With just twelve days left until Election Day, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama holds a 13-point lead over Republican rival John McCain, a new CBS News/New York Times poll shows.

Obama now leads McCain 52 percent to 39 percent among likely voters nationwide, roughly the same lead he held last week. Just five percent are undecided, and more than 9 in 10 of each candidate’s supporters say their mind is made up."

"Scott McClellan, President Bush's former press secretary, says he is backing Barack Obama for president."

Amazing. I've never seen this kind of denouncing one's own party and President and candidate by the most intimate members of the current administration and supporting the candidate of the opposite party in my lifetime or in history.

You have run the lowest of the lows, the most vile campaign I have ever seen in my 60 years. Never thought it possible, but you have outdone Bush.

You had 30 years in the senate, and now all of a sudden you are a born again reformer? I bet not many voters can think of one key piece of legislation you've enacted that even hints of a reformer. I know I can't.

We don't buy it at all sir. You simply can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Your time has passed you by. Go curl up in a fetal position under some cactus somewhere. It is now time for us democrats to drink OUR kool-aid for a long, long time, while your party has it's head surgically removed from your rear end.

Is it even possible to predict different behaviors during an election campaign from 1) a candidate who believes his election would benefit the nation because he is uniquely virtuous rather than wedded to a party line, and 2) a candidate who is simply an opportunist?

The lack of a simple McCain narrative is a fine point - Reagan always comes to mind when this is mentioned, "Let's get the government off our backs." Nothing comparable from McCain.

Perhaps McCain's resistance to admitting to having a political ideology, his stance of being "above politics", made that lack of clear political narrative inevitable?

The personnel issues in his campaign also reflect, methinks, the extent to which "maverick" may equal "opportunist" without well thought out deeply held beliefs, liable to be swayed by the last articulate staffer who happened to grab his ear.

As to Chris Cillizza not eating vegetables, this is just further proof that the nation is going to Hell in a handbasket, a world-historical collapse which may have begun with GHW Bush confessing to a dislike of broccoli.

But perhaps Chris is too quick to disavow a taste for critters from the plant kingdom. I like vegetables. My favorites are french fries and onion rings.

McCain’s single biggest mistake is thinking that the media would treat him as well as he has treated them over the years. He has been dumfounded for weeks that they have turned on him and doesn’t know how to respond. This was something that was quite predictable to many but him, that the media relationship would change going from senator to presidential candidate. He overly estimated the support of more moderate liberals while underestimating his lack of appeal with conservatives. (who are not necessarily the same as Republicans).

The McCain campaign should start talking about you and me. He talks a lot about Obama and nothing seems to stick - must be frustrating.

And lose the "Pro/Anti America", "Real/UnReal Virginia" etc. talk. It just doesn't help. Glad Palin apologized. Let;s get some serious conversation in the last few days of the campaign. Forget the silliness!

I regret I can't muster the same vitriol and hate that the angry left projects. Or have you forgotten what was said about him previously by your mob of misfit loons? since he is now on your side, I am not surprised your mind (such as it is, I use the term euphamistically) is erased. I suppose you forgot all about Ayers, Wright, Rezco, Wrangle, Jefferson, dodd, frank and the rest of the Lib all-stars.

It will be interesting and fun to watch the GOP shrink to a few nativists haters, a couple of religious nuts, and the Kathryn Jean-Lopez's of the world in the next few years.

As long as the Rethuglican party continues to offer huge outsized tax breaks for the filthy rich and nothing for everyone else, the extremist nuts will be the only one's left carrying the GOPer banner after 2008.

I think it is going to be a while before we hear about the big tent Republican party.

Tonight to my angst and disgust NBC commentator Brian Williams name is added to the growing list of commentators interviewing John McCain and Sarah Palin trying to medicate a very sick and disgusting campaign. McCain and Palin used Republican talking points and flat out lies suggesting Senator Obama is spending huge amounts of money to attack McCain. Which is an OUTRIGHT LIE.

Here's a question, John McCain over the last month has devoted nearly 100% of his campaigns finances to attacking Barack Obama's character with McCarthyism, Race-baiting and LIES and distortions. How can McCain not be refuted PUBLICLY with, if nothing else, copies of his online propaganda ads? Williams didn't even touch it.

Now once again McCain has put on the skirt and heels and pretends to be the victim.

As if he is somehow innocent and now is the underdog. McCain is a RANK AND FILE REPUBLICAN, a wealthy ELITIST WHO CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THE AMOUNT OF HOMES HE HAS. In this BEHAVIOUR John McCain is proven to be a FRAUD.

OF COURSE THE CUSTOMARY (PLAYED TRUTHS) ABOUT MCCAIN AND PALIN SURFACED.......

and John McCain Sarah Palin PRETENDED that those facts written in video History all over youtube, facebook, myspace, factcheck.org, democracy now, twitter the daily KOS and an entire host of others are irrelevant. They ATTEMPT to PLAY the 'underdogs' while 'VICIOUSLY' devoting nearly 100% of their campaign finances to ATTACKING through REPUBLICAN FRAUD, Senator Barack Obama and LABEL him as a domestic terrorist and a socialist. THIS THEIR ACT IS FRAUDULENT.

A certain ASTUTE type of American who has looked at John McCain and Sarah Palin in and INTELLIGENT and MENTALLY HEALTHY LIGHT. What they SAY about themselves and their campaign ON THE STUMP, and what they PORTRAY with the press in front of a camera and among those that are not fooled by their JEKYLL and HYDE act, VERSUS what they've ACCUSED their opponent Senator Barack Obama of in their STUMP SPEECHES and then turn around and appear to slightly back off IN FRONT of the press and CAMERA'S and THE VERY NEXT DAY CONTINUE the lies race baiting, fear mongering, socialist, terrorist accusations, based on lies, and 30 MINUTES LATER get ON THE NEWS PRETEND they are likeable and PURE?

We Americans who have witnessed John McCain and Sarah Palin who, when condemned by announcements of their political peers, and even those of TRUE 'August Reputation', like Colin Powell who is much more than their better. They (McCain/Palin)quickly accuse and condemn these, THE MORE HONORALBE, of the very WICKEDNESS which they themselves (mcCain/Palin) are the only PARTICIPANTS. HYPOCRITES.....

We intelligent cognisant Americans of all races, all religions,or no religion, all national origins, HAVE WITNESSED THIS FALSE DUALITY.

Republican Party has been intellectually bankrupt ever since Reagan. That's no news. What is amazing is that the Apostle of Monetary Policy Alan Greenspan turns out to have been intellectually bankrupt all these years.

He assumed that major banks and investment houses were pursuing their own prosperity and stability by taking care of their customers.

Apparently, the phrase "Caveat Emptor" meant little to Mr. Greenspan. And, obviously, he hadn't brushed up on his Karl Marx for a long time.

Greenspan discovering fundamental flaw of high-stakes capitalism - now THAT is news!
Now, is Amazing!

Zouk - Thanks for the latest Zogbys you quoted. I went to double-check them, because you're probably misquoting poll results again, and instead of batting them down thought that I would post this, which you omitted (about Obama's +12 (!!!) nationwide lead in Zoukby):

"Obama has made steady gains over the last four days and has tripled his lead on McCain in the past week of polling.

'Obama's expansion is really across the board,' pollster John Zogby said. 'It seems to be among almost every demographic group (except wing-nuts).

The Illinois senator saw his lead among women -- who are expected to play a decisive role in this election -- increase to 18 points from 16 points on Wednesday.

And independent voters, who have been the target of intense campaign efforts by both sides, have now swung behind Obama by a 30-point margin, 59 percent to 29 percent."

Ouch. And it's LOL funny that it's a dead heat in redder-than-red Missouri, but you quote it like that's a feather in McPalin's cap.

I don't understand how any "hockey mom" could spend $150,000 of campaign money on clothes in a couple months. Yes, I understand candidates have to look good. I'm all for the professional wardrobes, and grooming, and all that. But... jeez. A hundred and fifty grand -- holy bejeebers. And from campaign donations of people like "Joe the Plumber", no less. And after you've just spent two months painting yourself as a salt of the earth small-town hero, a "real" American who doesn't go in for all that stuff?

You know, Palin really is beginning to come off as a con artist -- a confidence (wo)man. Pure Harold Hill stuff. She says some pretty words, bluffs her way through all the situations that require active knowledge, the crowd cheers, and all the while fleeces everyone around her for travel, and fame, and clothes, etc., etc.

Palin's ridiculous levels of professed self-confidence, during all of this, just adds to the overall vibe that she's playing everyone for rubes, and is enjoying every minute of it. It's not a job or even an election to her, it's a game show, and she won the Big Prize.

What an exceptionally dislikable person Palin seems to be. From the first moment she stepped onto the national stage, there hasn't been a single retold aspect of her personal history that would inspire confidence, or respect, or anything but revulsion. She seems the perfect example of a shallow, petty, self-centered person rising in power simply because being shallow, petty and self-centered are the only tools necessary to do so. I half expect her to make off with McCain's wallet at some point, and be found two weeks later in Atlantic City.
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrzXLYA_e6E
.

"Maverick" is clearly the one word you can use to describe McCain. Whether it's accurate or good is another matter.

Knock on wood he's probably going to lose. The polls are very consistent on that. Plus up to 1/3 of all votes are being cast early, while McCain's way down in the polls, so even if he closes the gap in the next two weeks he's already behind the 8-ball.

The Republican’s can offer no new ideas to the national discussion of issues. They had their shot – they controlled the government. I guess it’s not _really_ their fault – they turned the government over to God, and it was God that let them down. Terri Schiavo should’ve been a high point, and instead God let them catch a lot of flack about government intrusion into family affairs.

McCain’s not leading the GOP. His VP choice was bases on polling numbers. He’s shackled himself to a boulder and trying to swim. The only lesson being: don’t shackle yourself to a boulder. That’s the lesson that a lot of senators and congress members are learning.

McCain has made the best of it; he’s shifted from pose to pose, striving to invent substance out of shadow. Might as well do a post-mortem on Gerald Ford’s character flaws, but the real lesson learned is: “If the previous presidency was an objective failure – don’t belong to the same party when running for office.”

Yes, I do. I made a bunch of money last time betting against Kerry, and that Bush would win FL and OH. Oh and Martinez in FL was a good payoff. I did lose on the actual number of electoral votes. but overall a good payday.

In a twisted sort of way I almost want McCain to win this election because four more years worth of failed Bush/McCain policies would for all intents and purposes be the end of the Republican party as we know it today. They would become the 4th party gadflies that they deserve to be.

The only question is, would this country survive it?

You people out there who live in economic downtrodden states like Ohio, West Virgina and Pa etc, if you are stupid enough to vote for McCain you will deserve every single bit of economic hardship that a McCain presidency will give you.
. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxT0s_I5WtA
.

Just out of curiosity, do you look at intrade at all? They have Obama leading by 74 points right now. Mccain is about to drop into single digits with Obama in the mid 80's. Mccain is at about the same place he was last December. I tend to go with intrade, their record is pretty good and this may be the biggest lead I have ever seen in an election. Another on line betting sight took it down. You were having to put up $9 to win $1 that is how lopsided it got. Maybe you should go over there and make a bet. If you bet $10,000 you will get back around $87,000. Sounds like a sure thing according to you.

So we cannot believe a majority of the polls only the confederatestatemilitaryretiree.com ...yeah that is more Republican BS. See you at the OBAMA Victory Party...oh wait...you will still be Hoping for Change...guess you will be pulling for Obama then

Sen. McCain has run George Bush's third Presidential campaign, using Bush's tactics and many of Bush's people. Even his choice of running mate was influenced by Gov. Palin's ability to stick to a narrow set of talking points no matter what question she was asked, a Bush hallmark, and Palin's greatest success has been in appealing to those Republicans who still think Bush has been a good President.

They love her; she brings to the table many of the same things Bush did eight years ago. But the rest of country is sick to death of Bush, so sick of him that any Republican candidate would be hard pressed to win this year. And the Bush Republicans never had much use for McCain, pre-Palin. McCain has spent this campaign appealing to the admirers of the man whose unpopularity gives him next to no chance to win.

So,according to the FIX there are only two choices if the majority rules? What if that is IF the minority elite greedy corrupt rules and tyranizes the voters into believing there is a Two Party
System, when there is not. 100 million are registered non-partisan, and 62 million are registered in the combined two parties, and even if the voters all had succumbed to status quo registration an independent could win the proper democratic challenge of unseating the corruption of our government and politics.

Nader has national name recognition. And, there is a video of a first seen by me, news interview link on the votenader.org asking Nader the PROPER questions of what he would do in January if elected...halfway decent interview.

I already knew the answers, but the media did not. The interviewer was bemused, and said, thank you, to Nader at the end. Of course it does require VOTE FOR NADER if anyone wants the President Nader in Office to happen in January, the time is now, to vote at a majority level to unseat the bums and vote out the corruption, on November 4th, ballot box proper legal power, in force by PEOPLE!

Pollster John Zogby: "Obama now has a huge lead among young voters, independents, and Hispanic voters. It's obviously not over. Frankly, this could tighten up and then loosen up again before Election Day. We saw movement on Election Day in New Hampshire, but at least for now, Obama has a very big lead. In the absence of news, McCain is not connecting. He seemed to be connecting during and immediately after the last debate, but got lost in issues that are not on people's minds. At some point, there are some issues that just overwhelm, and McCain has been particularly weak on the economy. He misstated the problem, confused his position, acted in a frantic way, and then looked like he wanted to run away from it. Meanwhile, Obama has been cool and confident, which worked for FDR in 1932 and worked for Ronald Reagan in 1980."

More like you have to get your legions of adoring fools to chant something you can make out on NBC news.

change, change, change

hope, hope, hope.

Preferably one syllable so the NYTimes reporters can follow.

funny thing is, you can fit Obama's resume on a bumper sticker. I don't think that was the point.

Posted by: king_of_zouk | October 23, 2008 4:03 PM | Report abuse
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Talking objectively, you can't figure what Mccain stands for period. I honestly can't figure why he wants to be president to tell you the truth? The guy now is doing a four day work week. People on the trail with him say he sleeps all the time now. He acts like the finish line is Nov 4. "IT IS NOT", that is the starting line for a job that will require a man that can put in 14 hour days at a time in our history that can't be more challenging. Mccain acts like when this is over he goes home the winner and put his feet up. From watching him these last months I believe he is so incompetent he scares the sh&t out of me.

MCCAIN IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICA'S ECONOMIC TROUBLES! McCain in April 08 declared that there had been "great progress economically" during the Bush years. On more than one occasion, he diagnosed Americans' concerns over the dismal U.S. economy as "psychological." (Phil Gramm, McCain's close friend and economic adviser supposedly excommunicated over his "whiners" remarks, is back with the McCain campaign full time again.) McCain, a man who owns eight homes nationwide, in March lectured Americans facing foreclosure that they ought to be "doing what is necessary -- working a second job, skipping a vacation, and managing their budgets -- to make their payments on time." And when all else fails, McCain told the people of the economically devastated regions in Martin County, Kentucky and Youngstown, Ohio, there's always eBay. McCain doesn't understand our tanking economy because it doesn't affect him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZxIYTEDARU

The $100 Million Man
Courtesy of his wife Cindy's beer distribution fortune (one her late father apparently chose not to share with her half-sister Kathleen), the McCains are worth well over $100 million. (In the two-page tax summary she eventually released to the public, Cindy McCain reported another $6 million in 2006.) As Salon reported back in 2000, the second Mrs. McCain's millions were essential in launching her husband's political career. Unsurprisingly, the Weekly Standard's Matthew Continetti, who four years ago called Theresa Heinz-Kerry a "sugar mommy," has been silent on the topic of Cindy McCain.

The Joys of (Eight) Home Ownership
While fellow adulterer John Edwards was pilloried for his mansion, John McCain's eight homes around the country have received little notice or criticism. His properties include a 10 acre lake-side Sedona estate, euphemistically called a "cabin" by the McCain campaign, and a home featured in Architectural Digest. The one featuring "remote control window coverings" was recently put up for sale. Still, their formidable resources did not prevent the McCains from failing to pay taxes on a tony La Jolla, California condo used by Cindy's aged aunt.

The Anheuser-Busch Windfall
While John McCain played a critical role in facilitating DHL's takeover of Airborne (and with it, the looming loss of 8,000 jobs in Wilmington, Ohio), Cindy McCain is set to earn a staggering multi-million dollar pay-day from the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch by the Belgian beverage giant, In Bev. As the Wall Street Journal reported in July, Mrs. McCain runs the third largest Anheuser-Busch distributorship in the nation, and owns between $2.5 and $5 million in the company's stock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek3jAkx9m10

All this talk of "post-mortems" is ridiculous. The election isn't over yet. Not everyone has voted. Absolutely ANYTHING can happen between now and Nov. 4th. This might be the most volatile election environment we've seen since the '60's. NOTHING has been decided. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool.

And if the Democrats fall for this nonsense and get complacent, they could end up getting smacked in the face with their own sense of inevitability.

It ain't over 'til it's over. When that day comes, dissect away. Until then, stick to analyzing the present campaigns, which should be more than enough for any media people with a lick of sense (no telling how big that number is, but one can hope....)

One thing I would add to the post-mortem is that Sen McCain has apparently failed to learn from Gore's mistake. Gore let others remake him in a 'better' image. McCain has also let others run his campaign in a way that left many of us wondering "what happened to the old John McCain?"

"The key for any campaign is to be able to sum up what their candidate means/embodies in one word. For Barack Obama that word is "change." Try doing the same for McCain. Tough to think of just one word."

It's easy. I can come up with lots of them. Unfortunately, you can't print any of them.

And he has no right feeling sanctimonious about Obama and his press coverage. The fact is that the press hit Obama hard on his Chicago network but failed to hit McCain on his filthy, seedy Phoenix/Vegas/LA Hensley-Marley-Lansky network.

McCain has no code; no honor. He ditched his first wife to marry into a very shady family and then used that dodgy Arizona network to launch his political career.

The media hasn't done it's job; McCain is a shameless actor who has no character and no business whatsoever leading this country.

Unless they voted in the last election they throw them out. That is what is wrong with the poll. They can't know who the likely voters are in this election. It is a one of a kind election. My personal guess is, all the models the pollsters are using are undercounting the Obama voters by a huge amount. I believe this is going to be a landslide and a very early night on election eve.

"The key for any campaign is to be able to sum up what their candidate means/embodies in one word. For Barack Obama that word is "change." Try doing the same for McCain. Tough to think of just one word."

It's easy. I can come up with lots of them. Unfortunately, you can't print any of them.

CC - how many days until you start with the McCain is back, underdog rises schtick. you have the evidence anytime you want to use it. I know you tried it a few days back, but you are swimming upstream against a committed Liberal establishment that wants this thing over before the messiah falls to earth.

the press was able to manipulate the election of allen two years ago and is now punch drunk with power. they beleive that thier selectivce reporting and outright lies will alrter the landscape sufficiently to waltz thier savior into power.

Wartch what he does if they dare question him next year. short honeymoon coming. the economy will continue down at an even faster pace with Lib policies unchecked. How will they get away without reporting that. Oh, I know, it is all bush's fault, I keep forgetting.

"The AP poll of 800 likely voters had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Experts said the unusually tight likely voter outcome was the result of a restrictive approach for defining likely voters that probably excluded many Obama supporters."
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In other words if you are a new voter they automatically throw out a percent. If you say you didn't vote in the last election I believe they throw out half of those. This is a unique election and you an throw out the old models pollsters used. Gallup has already created a new poll called it's "Expanded poll" to try to get a more accurate reading.

A man I consider to be one of the best Senators in either party - in 2005, I think he was the single best - may be more at home in the legislative process where he is forced to give and take than he is as an executive.

"By extension then, if the McCain campaign's conduct would appear to be at odds with the man's 'true character', it is only because the combination of a dishonorable opponent and a biased media has forced his hand," Draper writes. "Or so goes the rationale for what by this month was an increasingly ugly campaign."

It's never too soon to write a GOP post-mortem. Any party that blocks a raise in minimum wage for 15 yrs while simultaneously raising their own wages and benefits deserves to lose...big. And thats just one issue...

One more reason: republican policies -- deregulation, specifically--are responsible for this -- which is going to get much worse before it gets better:

In testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Greenspan said that, as a result of the current situation, the United States is heading for a "significant rise in layoffs and unemployment" and a continued downturn in home values as the world works through a crisis that is "broader than anything I could have imagined."

Greenspan, who called the current financial crisis a "once-in-a-century credit tsunami," said that he remained "in a state of shocked disbelief" that banks and investment firms did not do a better job of analyzing the risks involved with investing in home mortgages extended to less creditworthy borrowers.

Under questioning from Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the committee chairman, Greenspan acknowledged that the failure of that expected self-regulation represented "a flaw in the model" he used to analyze economics. "I was going for 40 years or more on the perception that it was working well."

McCain never had any intention of doing things any differently than Bush and while the wealthy made out like, well, bandits -- for the rest of us it isn't working out so well.

It is too early for a "post mortem", but the criticism seems to fit the publicly known facts. A man I consider to be one of the best Senators in either party - in 2005, I think he was the single best - may be more at home in the legislative process where he is forced to give and take than he is as an executive. That is all I can add to this discussion, FWIW.

McCain's management ability, or lack thereof, is perhaps the best reason to be glad he won't be president. No doubt his administration would make the Bush one look like a textbook example of management competence.

The fact is that the McCain campaign has been the worst run and the worst managed presidential campaign in some time. One reason they had to jump from theme to theme is their own actions destroyed the very case their were trying to make. The selection of Sarah Palin as running mate destroying the experience argument, and spending $150K to dress her destroying the "we are the party of real Americans" are just the best examples of this.

As a person who has some sympathy for John McCain, I hope Steve Schmidt never runs another major political campaign. As a democrat, I fervently hope that he does.

Isn't it a little early for a post-mortem? We can't know the full extent of his failure until election day. For instance, I think McCain will lose in a landslide partially because of lack of ground game, but there's no way to know that yet.

Isn't it a little early for a post-mortem? We can't know the full extent of his failure until election day. For instance, I think McCain will lose in a landslide partially because of lack of ground game, but there's no way to know that yet.

It started when Mccain had three months to get the jump on Obama and Hillary while they were Killing each other. What did he do, NOTHING. He saw Obama and Hillary doing amazing funding raising using the Internet, What did John Mccain do NOTHING. He does not learn or innovate. Mccains terrible antiquated campaign showed up Mccain is just not the Man for the 21st century. Mccain is just too old and tired and not what we need right now. He needs to retire.